Triple-valve connection.



PATENTBD OUT. 29. 1907.

F. L. CLARK. TRIPLE VALVE CONNECTION.

AIPLIUATIOH rnsnrmx. 27. 1906.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS L. CLARK, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. '29, 1907.

Application filed February 27. 1905- Serial No. 2'h448- a certain new and-useful Improvement in Triple- Valve Connections, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic air brake apparatus, and more particularly to the triple valve device and means for connecting the same to the various pipes and reservoirs of the system.

'According to the present standard construction the triple valve device comprises a casing or body adapted to be bolted up to some rigidly supported part, such as the auxiliary reservoir or the brake cylinder or an independent bracket, the valve body being provided with pipe connections for. the train pipe, the retaining valve, and the supplemental reservoir or additional source of pressure in case such is used. This construction necessitates the unscrewing and breaking of these pipe connections from the triple valve body each and every time that the triple valve is taken down for cleaning, repairing or replacing with another valve, thereby causing great inconvenience, much unnecessary work and loss of time. This frequent taking down of the triple valve also tends to injure the pipe joint connections and render the same liable to leakage.

v The principal object of my invention is to overcome these objections and to provide a block or casing having ports and passages for the various pipe connections and adapted to be rigidly and permanently supported in any .of the ways hereinbefore mentioned or any other convenient manner, together with a triple valve body having corresponding ports and passages and adapted to be bolted or otherwise secured against the face of the block or'casing, thereby dispensing with all pipe connections to the triple valve body. By this means the triple valve may be taken down for clean- I ing or repairs at any time by merely loosening a few bolts and without unscrewing any joints orbreaking any pipe connections. I

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 shows in section a triple valve device secured to one form of block or casing embodying my improvement and adapted to be supported on an independent bracket, the section of the fixed casing and a portion of the triple valve body being taken substantially on the I line a-ba of Fig. 3; Fig. .2 a similar section taken substantially on the line a-oa of Fig." 3; Fig. 3 a face view of one formof my improved fixed block or casing; Fig. 4 a transverse section of the triple valve device taken on the line dd of Figs. 1 and 2; ,Fig. 5 asectional view of a slightly. modified form of fixed block or casing showing the same secured to the auxiliary reservoir; and Fig. 6 a section showing another modification adapted to be secured to the brake cylinder.

This invention is illustrated in connection with a triple. valve device of the type in which air under pressure from a supplemental reservoir, main reservoir, or other source'of pressure is used for graduating the release of the brake and for restoring pressure in the auxiliary reservoir, thereby requiring five different connections to the triple valve, viz., thetrain pipe, the auxiliary reservoir, the brake cylinder, the supplemental reservoir or additional supply of fluid pressure, and the retaining valve pipe for the exhaust.

As shown in the drawing, the triple valve device comprises a body portion 2 having a piston chamber 5 containing a piston 6, and a valve chamber 7 containing a main slide valve 8 and a graduating slide valve 9. The triple valve body is provided with passages 10, 11, 12 and 14, leading from corresponding port openings in the face of thetriple valve body to the piston chamber 5 the exhaust port, the supplemental reservoir port, and the brake cylinder port respectively in the slide valve seat. The main slide valve 8 is provided with service port 15, supplemental reservoirport 18 and exhaust ports 16 and 17, while the graduating slide .valve 9 has a cavity 19 for controlling the exhaust ports in the main valve.

Although I have shown a particular arrangement of the ports in the valve seat and slide valves, it is to be und crstood that my improvement is not limited to this construction, nor that this particular arrangement comprises a feature of my present invention, since the same has previously been described in other patents, and as the operation thereof in applying, releasing and controlling the braking pressure is well understood by those familiar with the art, it will be unnecessary to further describe the action of the valve device in the periormance of its usual functions in response to the customary variations in train pipe pressure.

According to my present invention a fixed block. or casing 1, adapted to be supported in any convenient manner either on a separate bracket, reservoir, or brake cylinder, is provided with a face having ports or passages 10, 11, 12, and 14", adapted to register with the corresponding ports 10, 11, 12 and 14 in the face of the triple valve body when the same is bolted onto the'fixed casingin its usual position. As shown in Fig. 3, .pipe connections 10 from the train pipe, 11 ,from the retaining valve, 12 from the supplemental reservoir, and 14" According to the modification shown in Fig. 5, the casing 1' is adapted to be secured to the end of the auxiliary reservoir 3 and supported thereby. In this case the passage 13 leads directly into the auxiliary 5 reservoir while the other ports are arranged as shown in Fig. 3. The modified form of casing ll shown in Fig. 5, is designed tojbe'secured to the brake cylinder 4, and preferably comprises the head thereof. In this case the passage 1 leads through the casing into the brake 1O cylinder, and-the chamber 13 communicates by pipe connections 13 on one or both sides with the auxiliary reservoir, the other ports and pipe connections being ar ranged as before. described.

By means of my improvement the pipe connections 15 to the fixed casing may remain permanently attached while the triple valve body may be readily taken down at any time for inspection, cleaning, or repairs, by merely loosening the usual clamping bolts and without disturbing the pipe connections.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patient is:

v 1. In an air brake, the combination with a fixed casing having ports and passages connected respectively with the trainpipe, auxiliary 'resei'voir,-brake cylinder, and supplernental reservoir, of a triple valve body having correports adapted to register with those of the ,fixed casing, and means for securing the triple valve body to the fixed casing. l 1

3. In an air brake, the combinationwith a separate bracket forming a fixed casing having ports and passages 4. In an'air brake, the combination with a separate, bracket forming a fixed casing having ports and passages bracket, and means for securing the body to the bracket. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' FRANCIS L. CLARK- Witnesses:

J. S. CUSTER, R. F. EMERY. 

